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Recreation

Trails webpages and information will not be available until May 2025. Thank you for your patience while we work through getting the most updated, accurate information for you during this time.

From vast wildernesses to stunning waterfalls, exploring the Ottawa takes you into a different world. With an average annual snowfall of 200", winter sports enthusiasts will find Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowmobiling, dogsledding and ice fishing for most months the year.

Lightly used campgrounds and far-flung trails make it easy to find solitude no matter what time of year you visit. Although the forest is home to many furry friends, including bear, coyotes, wolves and deer so you'll never be alone.

With over 500 named lakes and 2,000 miles of rivers and streams it's a fisherman's paradise, from walk-in lakes, streams and rivers, to access to the depths of Lake Superior at Black Harbor Recreation Area.

2025 Fee Free Days

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: January 20, 2025
  • National Get Outdoors Day: June 14, 2025
  • Juneteenth: June 19, 2025
  • National Public Lands Day: September 27, 2025
  • Veterans Day: November 11, 2025

*Does not apply to camping, OHV, or concession sites.

Free Fishing Weekend

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Free Fishing Weekend dates for 2025 are:

  • Feb. 15 - 16
  • June 7 - 8.

All fishing license fees will be waived for two days.

Know Before You Go

Passes and Permits

Campsite at Bobcat Lake Campground

Maps and Guides

An out of focus map

Contact the Visitor Center

Visitor Center

Safety and Ethics

High Five with Smokey

Showing: 11 - 20 of 50 results

Cascade Falls

Site Open
Outdoor Science and Learning Hiking
There are two trails that lead to and from the falls. The main trail is the easiest at 1 mile long with only mild changes in elevation. The Bluff Trail leaves and rejoins the main trail and can be…

Conglomerate Waterfalls

Site Open
Outdoor Science and Learning Hiking
Located just 11 1/2 miles northwest of Bessemer, Mi. these waterfalls can be accessed by a 3/4 mile hiking trail from a paved parking lot. The hiking trail drops steadily as you near the…

Courtney Lake Campground

Site Open
Water Activities Hiking Winter Sports Picnicking Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Outdoor Science and Learning
Courtney Lake campground, located 22 miles southeast of Ontonagon, MI. on the Ontonagon Ranger District, features a single loop with 21 spacious sites that can accommodate tents, trailers, or larger…

Duppy Falls

Site Open
Outdoor Science and Learning Hiking
This is the site of an old state quarry, and the trail to the river has been created by people going trout fishing. Follow that unmarked trail toward the west, and walk upstream to the falls when you…

Golden Lake Campground

Site Open
Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Water Activities Picnicking
Golden Lake Campground is located 15 miles northwest of Iron River, M.I., on the Iron River Ranger District. This campground provides an opportunity for a northwoods experience like fishing, bird…

Hagerman Lake

Site Open
Hunting, Fishing and Shooting
Hagerman Lake located just to the south of Lake Ottawa offers a boat ramp on its southern side that will provide you with access to some real good lake fishing.

Henry Lake Campground

Site Open
Water Activities Picnicking Hunting, Fishing and Shooting
Located in Gogebic County 9 miles southwest of the town of Marenisco, Mi., Henry Lake is located on the Bessemer Ranger District in the southern half of the Ottawa National Forest. Henry Lake…

Imp Lake Campground

Site Open
Hiking Hunting, Fishing and Shooting Water Activities Outdoor Science and Learning
Imp Lake Campground located 6 miles southeast of Watersmeet, MI, provides visitors with a unique camping experience. Lakeside sites offer a quaint view of a small island populated with nesting loons,…

Jumbo Falls

Site Open
Outdoor Science and Learning Hiking
This trail passes through some old growth hemlock, and is quite level. It is a scenic trail, and the water of the Jumbo River is crystal clear.

Kakabika Falls

Site Open
Outdoor Science and Learning Hiking
Kakabika Falls, located approximately 12 miles northeast of Marenisco Mi., on the Bessemer Ranger District. This falls is actually a series of “S” turns as the river drops in elevation. The trail…